Chain Reaction
by magicalriot
Summary: Season Three - After Lucas reveals that he has HCM, he gets a series of visits from those who care about him - with a wide variety of reactions. A collection of cute one-shots. Was Brother My Brother.
1. Brother My Brother

So I always imagined a scene where Lucas would have to assure Nathan that he didn't resent him for being free of the heart condition. Plus I was annoyed that there was no scene where Nathan asked Luke to be his best man… so I combined the two in this thrilling one-shot! Enjoy, people!

Lucas was frowning at his laptop when he heard the tentative knock on the door. "Come in," he called, without looking up.

The door swung open, Nathan entering with his face drawn.

Lucas glanced up and smiled, before shutting his laptop and standing up. "Hey man."

Nathan nodded, his hands jammed into the pockets of his sweatshirt.

Lines of confusion appeared on Lucas's head. "What's up?"

Nathan pursed his lips. "Why didn't you tell me? About HCM? How is that fair, Luke?"

Lucas sighed with a nervous smile. "Because I didn't want to worry anyone."  
Nathan pulled his hands from his pockets and gestured to himself. "Am I anyone? I know we didn't exactly get along over the summer, and I'm sorry about that. But… didn't I have a right to know?"  
Lucas stepped towards him. "Why? So you could feel guilty, like you do now?" Nathan looked away. Lucas took a deep breath. "Nate, I didn't tell you because I knew how I would feel in your place. Guilty as all hell that I was free while someone else suffered through it. But it's not like that, Nathan!"

Nathan glanced up in surprise, leaning back slowly against the vibrant walls. "I feel so bad, Luke. Relieved that I don't have the worst legacy he could have given us besides being a jerk. Sad that you weren't so lucky, guilty that I'm still playing and living that life while you're… not."

Lucas ran a hand through his messy blonde hair. "Let me explain something to you, OK Nate? We may not have acted like friends in a while now, except for the last few weeks. And believe me, I'm grateful to those weeks. But the thing is… You were always my brother. Even when you refused to speak to me, even when I…" he winced slightly, "said some things I shouldn't have."

Nathan smirked.

"You are, and you always will be, my little brother, and you can deny that all you want, I'm not going anywhere. And as far as HCM is involved… I was relieved that you didn't have it, OK? I'm your older brother, and that means that I would rather I have this than you. I want you to go to college with Haley and play basketball. And you're going to need your heart for that. That's your life, Nate. Don't spend it feeling guilty."

The boys fell silent, leaning on opposite walls.

"I'm sorry." Nathan said quietly.

Lucas rolled his eyes. "For what this time? Was my 'you're my brother' speech not good enough?"

Nathan smiled weakly. "You're defiantly getting more sappy, I can tell you that. No, man, I'm sorry for denying you as my brother in the first place. I liked having you around, but the whole thing with Haley kind of… you know. I was so wrapped up in my problems that I couldn't see you were just trying to help."

Lucas crossed to Nathan and held out his hand with a grin. "Friends?"

Nathan clasped it and half-hugged him back. "No way, man. Brothers."

"Now what do you say to a game of NBA on Playstation? Pretty sure I can kick your ass on that, deformed heart or not." Lucas challenged.

"You're on." Nathan slapped him on the shoulder before pushing past him to the lounge.

Karen smiled from the kitchen. Boys.

Ten games, two fights and one amazing dinner later, Nathan stood up and stretched. "Thanks for tea, Karen, but I need to go now. Hales will be back from Peyton's soon."  
Karen smiled kindly at the dark headed boy. "Anytime, Nathan."

Lucas clasped his brother's hand briefly and smiled down at the notes he was making on colleges.

Nathan pulled open the door and stepped over the threshold, and then paused. He slapped a hand against the doorframe and turned.

"Luke?"

Lucas glanced up. "Yeah?"

"Will you be my best man?" He asked tentatively, with raised eyebrows and a slightly nervous expression.

Lucas grinned. "Of course, little brother."  
Nathan beamed back, hitting the doorframe one more time before exiting their house.

Karen put down the dishcloth and moved to Lucas, wrapping her arms around her son, who hugged her back. "You're a good big brother, Lucas Scott," she said, kissing his head.

He smiled back sadly. "I learnt from the best."


	2. Can't Stand Losing You

Peyton was already in love with Lucas by the time he announced he had HCM… I thought her reaction would be interesting – I imagined it to be quite… intense!

"Night, Mom," Lucas said, kissing his mothers forehead.

"Night, Lucas." She replied. "Honey, I'm glad you told me."

"Yeah," he smiled, looking slightly surprised at his own reaction. "Me too."

Lucas entered his room and flicked off the light, pulling his shirt over his head. With a sigh, he pulled back the doona on his bed.

Just as the door slammed back against the wall.

Lucas spun, just in time for Peyton to slap his face. His head swivelled.

"Ahh! Peyton!" Lucas recovered just in time to grab her arm before attempt two.

"How dare you? What were you thinking, Luke? Tell me that. What were you thinking, playing basketball, playing the hero, while the whole time you're heart was on the verge of giving up? How could you do that?" She yelled, wrenching her arm from his.

She looked wild, her blonde curls messy around her face and green eyes glistening with fury and tears. "How could you do that to me? What if I lost you, Luke?" Her voice broke. "I couldn't … if I lost you…" tears began to fall down her cheeks.

"Hey, hey!" He grabbed her shoulders gently. Peyton gripped onto his arms, looking down, hiding her face. "Peyton, hey."

She looked up, crying silently. "I lose everyone, Luke. I can't add you to that ever-growing list. How… how could you be so selfish?"

Lucas could almost feel his heart breaking at her words. "Oh, god, Peyton." He pulled her into his arms, crushing her slight frame against his chest. He could feel her body shaking with each sob. Her arms clutched at his chest, pinned between their bodies. "I'm so sorry, Peyton, I'm so sorry."

"Just don't leave me, Luke." She whispered into his chest.

He kissed the top of her head. "Never. I promise. I'll always be here for you."

Her arms moved to loop around his neck, her face resting on his shoulder. "You'd better."

Brooke paused at the door to Lucas's room, assaulted by the sight of her best friend in the arms of her boyfriend.

Shirtless.


	3. Solace

OK… So I am a bit of a Lucas/Peyton fan, but I'm sticking to the storyline with these – think of it as deleted scenes

Brooke waited outside the door that Peyton had left open, watching as her boyfriend wiped the tears from her best friends face. Watched him kiss her forehead.

Watched him break her heart.

Peyton sat next to Lucas on his bed. "I'm sorry, Lucas."

He squeezed her shoulder. "What for?"

She shrugged. "Barging in here. Slapping you. Screaming. Crying."

Lucas laughed. "Don't be. I deserved it."

"Yeah. You kinda did," Brooke said venomously.

Peyton and Lucas snapped their heads up, instinctively leaning away from each other under Brooke's accusing stare from the doorway.

Brooke's mouth twitched in a humourless smile as she walked across Lucas's room, twisting her hands. "You know, I was coming to tell you off. Looks like someone bet me to it."

Peyton stood up and rushed to Brooke's side. "Haley told me and I just freaked, OK? She came over, and I just saw red, you know? I just – I didn't think, Brooke."

Brooke took a deep breath, ready to explode. Then she saw Lucas's worried face and remembered why they were both there. She smiled sadly. "Sorry. I spoke to Haley too – I guess we both flipped." She pursed her lips, calling on all her strength to ignore the image of Peyton holding her boyfriend. "Can I talk to Lucas alone?"

Peyton smiled weakly. "Yeah. Yeah. I'll see you at home." She touched Brookes shoulder briefly as she left the room, catching Lucas's eyes as she pulled the door shut.

Brooke looked down at her hands while Lucas stood. "Brooke, I – ."

Brooke held up a hand. "Wait. I've been practising this speech since I got off the phone with Haley, so just - just be quiet for a sec. And I'm sorry if this is a little repetitive of Peyton's speech, but it didn't think I'd have competition."

Lucas winced.

Brooke took a deep breath. "I thought we were honest with each other. And it really hurts me that you lied to me about this, now, after everything we've been through. But mostly, I'm just worried about you, Lucas! What else are you hiding, for whatever reasons you think make it OK? What else are you protecting me from, Lucas? And what will it take for you to let me in?" Brooke's eyebrows drew together and her bottom lip trembled. Lucas sighed, reaching out for her instinctively. Brooke fell easily into his arms, her grip tight around his waist.

Lucas's lips touched her hair, his hand behind her neck. "I'm sorry, Brooke. There's nothing else, I swear. And I won't shut you out again, I promise. I never want to hurt you."

Brooke kissed his still bare chest. "Then keep that heart safe, OK? I need it in one piece, Lucas."

Lucas took her face between his hands, drawing back to meet her troubled eyes. "I promise." He smiled, kissing her lips gently. "It's yours anyway."

Karen sighed and settled back down in bed as the door to Lucas's room opened and shut once more and her house finally grew quiet. It might cause a level of noise that bothered the neighbours, but the concern of those whom loved her son warmed her. Turning on her side, she felt the familiar thrill of fear for her boy, but it was manageable. This fear, she could label. She could help him fight it.

Even if she did it alone.

"Mom?" Lucas's harsh whisper echoed from the doorway.

Karen rolled onto her back. "Lucas? What's wrong?"

"I - . I was just wondering – could I sleep in here tonight?"

Karen blinked back tears and memories. Lucas, as a child, slipping into her bed after a nightmare. After a bad day at school.

When Keith went away on business or to visit his parents, and Lucas would ask every hour when he was coming back.

She lifted the doona. "Just as long as Peyton's done slapping and yelling for the night."

He laughed quietly, sliding in beside her. "She nearly gave me a heart attack."  
Karen stiffened.

"Too soon?"

She smacked her son's arm in answer. He laughed.

"You told me you were too big to stay in my bed when you turned twelve."

He rolled onto his side, taking his mothers hand as he faced her. "I missed you. And – I don't want to be alone tonight."

Karen kissed her son's head. "I love you, Lucas."

Lucas smiled into the dark, glad he couldn't see the tears on his face. "I love you too, Ma."

Sometimes the greatest cure for heartache is the solace of knowing that we hold onto the hearts of others – and that we, even at our worst, live inside theirs.

It is inevitable that we lose that which we cherish most – loved ones, our dreams, or that which defines us. It is in these moments of darkness that we must hold on to the person that others see within us – and let their love guide us back to the place where we need to be.

Back to the person worthy of their love.


End file.
